I am thankful to God that everyone whether they are righteous, ‘do it by works’, wicked or a ‘fence sitter’, all are loved by Him. It is only those that love God back and accept salvation from their sins through Jesus, and have His righteousness imputed to them, that can be claimed by God to be His true and faithful child. Even before the life and death of Jesus, the Old Testament sacrifice of the lamb offering, symbolized Jesus, and imputed righteous covered the participating repentant sinner, when their obedient faith in God allowed them to be forgiven. It could never be by their works or faith, but both are necessary and occur because the love of God is within. It is dangerous to be a ‘fence sitter’, because there can only be two classes at the final judgement; the children of God and those who have not claimed God as their own and so cannot be claimed by Him. Matthew 25: 31, 32 “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. All nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats.” In instruction given by Jesus is found clarification that a ‘fence sitter’ cannot answer the call of Jesus unless they get off the fence. There are a number of texts in John 10, when Jesus refers to Himself as the Shepherd and sheep as being His own flock, John 10: 14 “I am the good Shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own.” Jesus does not claim the goats as His own, Verses 33, 34 “And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.’”
The inspired writers of the scriptures give a clear picture of how a person who claims to belong to God should live and conduct themselves. It does not seem to be enough, to say ‘I am a good person’ and not follow the requests of God. Matthew 25: 35, 36 “For I was hungry and you gave Me food, I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.” The righteous ones have not done these kind deeds to impress Jesus, but because they have His love in their heart. Therefore they wonder just what Jesus means, until, Verse 40 “and the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.”
Isaiah 26: 7 “The way of the just is uprightness; O Most Upright, You weigh the path of the just.” Psalm 97: 10, 11 “You who love the Lord, hate evil! He preserves the souls of His saints; He delivers them out of the hand of the wicked. Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart.” I can understand that to love God and be His righteous person; will be a blessing to other people. It is a way of selflessness, just as was the way of my Lord Jesus Christ when on earth.
I thank You God, that I am accepted, directed and cared for as Your child.